Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol III, No 13, 1851Various
General
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol III, No 13, 1851
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
Fieschi came last, and was the most unnerved of the three. He appeared
throughout in a fainting condition, and hung his head in a pitiable
state of prostration. Very little consideration was shown him, or rather
he was pushed and thrust about in a way which was indecent, if not
disgusting, whatever might have been his crimes. Some little difficulty
occurred in placing his head conveniently under the ax, from a recoiling
motion of the prisoner. He was certainly the least brave of the three.
The executioner having rolled his body into the larger basket with the
others, took up that containing the three heads, which having emptied
upon the bodies, he gave the bottom of the basket a jocular tap, which,
being accompanied with a lifting of his foot behind, and probably some
funny and seasonable observation, created a good deal of merriment among
the spectators.
The guillotine is apparently the most merciful, but certainly the most
terrible to witness, of any form of execution in civilized Europe. The
fatal chop, the raw neck, the spouting blood, are very shocking to the
feelings, and demoralizing; as such exhibitions can not fail to generate
a spirit of ferocity and a love of bloodshed among those who witness
them. It was not uncommon at this period in Paris to execute sheep and
calves with the guillotine; and fathers of families would pay a small
sum to obtain such a gratifying show for their children. In such a taste
may we not trace the old leaven of the first Revolution, and the germ of
future ones?
The fate of poor Dr. Guillotin was a singular one. He lived to see the
machine which he had invented, from feelings of pure philanthropy, made
the instrument of the most horrible butcheries, the aptness of the
invention notoriously increasing the number of the victims who fell by
it; and he died in extreme old age, with the bitter reflection that his
name would be handed down to posterity, in connection with the most
detestable ferocities which have ever stained the annals of mankind.
PERSONAL HABITS AND CHARACTER OF THE WALPOLES.
BY ELIOT WARBURTON.
We are not disposed to consider the elder Horace Walpole a great
statesman, or claim for him the consideration accorded to his mere
celebrated brother; but he was superior in talent to many of his
contemporaries who attained a much higher eminence; and his honesty and
zeal would have rendered creditable a much less amount of political
accomplishments than he could boast of. Measured with the diplomatists
of a more modern period, Lord Walpole will probably fall below par; but
he had no genius for that fine subtlety which is now expected to pervade
every important negotiation, and knew nothing of that scientific game of
words, in which diplomatists of the new school are so eager to
distinguish themselves.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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